Mailing box



March 24, 1925. 1,530,792

' o. TJSPRAGGINS MAILING BOX Filed Jan. 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTOR AT RNEY 'March 24, 1925. 1,530,792 o. T. SPRAGGINS MAILING Box I Filed Jan. 19 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATE OSCAR 'r. sraneems, or MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

MAILING BOX. 7

Application filed January 19, 1924. Serial No. 687,239.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR T. SPRAGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, county of Shelby, and State of Tennessee, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Mailing Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable anyone skilled in the art to make and use the same. My invention relatesto improvements in paper boxes, especially adapted for mailing purposes and has for its objects to provide; First, a box adapted to be readily fastened or sealed a'ndwhen opened, as readily refastened or re-sealed.

Second, to provide such a box adapted to be substantially rigid against compression or distortion such as would ordinarily be encountered in the mails and one which is ca pable of economic manufacture; and.

Third, to provide such a box wherein a smooth or continuous surface is provided on that side which opens whereby when an address label is pasted thereon it may lie flat and smooth, and the box be effectively sealed thereby.

I accomplish these objects as, will bemore fully hereinafter set out in the drawings,

specifications and claims. In the drawings:

. Fig. 1 1s a perspective view of one form of the box open for the insertion or removal of objects therefrom.

' Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthe same box with a drawer or inside container therein.

Fig. 3 1s a similar view of the box closed with an address label pasted thereon pro viding additional sealing means.

Fig. 4 is a developed view of the box flattened out, i

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of the box with an inside container and having a reinforced closing means providing additional stifiening and also providing means for fastening the box without other sealing than the address labelv Fig. 6. shows a similar view of a further modification in which a complete outer box is hinged to and adapted to be closed over an inner box, and sealed in the identical manner shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3'.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective of a modification of the flaps 11 shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to' the drawin s in which the various parts are indicated y the same numerals in all the views, the box shown i In Fig; 3,

in Figs. 1 to 4 comprises a bottom 1, sides 2 and 3, and a top f with an extra side 2* gummed as indicated by the lining thereon, which, is adapted to fold over and be sealed against the outer surface of the side 2 forms ing thereby a rectangular open ended box. 5 are flaps adapted to fold inward at both ends of this open. section and 6 are ends each having an extension member 7 gummed as indicated by the lining thereon adapted to fold over and seal against 'thetop 4 of the box, both of these members beingshown sealedinFig. 3 and one only in Figs. 1 and 2. 1 r

8 is an address label sealed over the ends of the members? and tothe sides of the box, the underside of this label being gummed for that purpose. If desired this label may be placed longitudinally instead 7 of transversely. as shown.

In Fig. 2, 9 is an 1nnerli1iershownin" this case as open at both ends.

It will be especially noted'n this box that when the flaps 5 are folded inward they form an additional brace against lateral distortion' of the box. If ,desired, the inner box 9 may be an ordinary box with sides, andends and an open top. In Fig; 5 I show a modified form of the box having a top 4 and sides, only one of which, 2, shows in the view and having-a bottom which likewise does not show. This boxalso has flaps be open ended as shown in Fig. 2, or with closed ends and an open top as here shown. This box is also provided with ends 6 and extension members 7 and'Y These members may be gummed as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 in which casethis box is identical with the exception of the inner container with that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In this view however, I Show the member 7 sealed to' a reinforcing member 10 which is preferablyof somewhat heavier. paper and may be, if desired of the well known corrugated paper board, which gives'the box material added strength. The other member 5 and an inner box 9 which may, if desired,

the outer end of the reinforcing ,memberlO may be slipped to form a closure for the box. The flap7 may alsobe provided with similar flaps if desired in order that the closure members may line up smoothly over the top of the box. When this is done, the

tom 1 of the box.

members? and 7 form a smooth surface over which a label may be pasted as shown in Fig. 3 which label, when so pasted will form an efficient sealingmeans for the box.

In Fig. 7 I show the flaps 11 each pro vided with a pair of extending fasteners 13 which fasteners are gummed as indicated by the lining thereon and may be us'ed'to seal the flaps '11 to the sides 23 and bet- In such case the flaps 11 are not folded in to forma pocket but are allowed to extend as shown in Fig. 7 and come against the sides 'ofthe box. Two only ofthe gummed flaps I3 are shown attached to each flap ll but any number desired may be provided. In use all these ex cept the outer ones are folded against the inside of the flaps 11', and the outer ones are sealed to the bottom of the box. 'VVhenthese have been destroyed by opening-the box, new sets may oe used as long as they last.

In Fig. 6 I' show a further modification in which an open top box having side's 2 and 3 and closed ends 12, is provided *with ends 6 extending outward from the bottom thereof as in the otherboxes, and is also provided with gummed extension members 7, the gum on wliiclrbeing on the under side is not visible. It is however, provided with an addltional box having a top 4, sides 2 and ends 12 which is sealed to the under side of one of the extension members 7. It may or may not be sealed to the end 6 but is preferably not so sealed. Vhen this box is closed that extension member 7 which is loose is as in the other cases, sealed against theftop' 4 th'ereofand as in the other-bases, when so sealed, forms a smooth surface for thereception of an address label.

It will be understood that while I prefer to use an address label, that any of these boxes may be sealed without the use there of. If however, this should be done in case of the box shown in Fig. 5, it would he necessary to gum the under side of the extension 7 and if desired also, the contiguous sides of the flaps 11.

It'will alsobe seen that various minor modifications may be made without departing from the spiritof my invention. One

of these changes being to make the exten sion members 7 .the full length of the top 4 so thatwhen folded over and sealed, they form a triple top for the box such as is obtained in slightly different fashion by the extension members 7 and 7 and thereinforcing member 10 of Fig. 5. I

It will also be especially understood that while I have referred herein to the top 4 and bottom 1, that when t-his'box is turned over these becomefrespectively the bottom and the top and that I do not intend by the use of these terms to in any way, limit myself in thatrespect. r

I also desire itto be understood that I reserve the right to change the construction of my invention as-long as doing so comes under the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat'entjof the United States is 1; A paper box comprising sides, a top, a bottom, foldable ends, members extending therefrom, a reinforcing member substan tially the size of the top of saidbox sealed to one of said extension members, flaps extending laterally from the otherof said extension members, adapted tobe foldedinward to form" a pocket for said reinforcing member, and foldable members integral with'the sides of the'box adapted to befolded across the' ends of the box before the foldableends thereof are folded and sealed to provide stiffeners for" the box against collapse. p

2. A paper box comprising sides, atop,a bottom, foldable ends, members extending therefrom," a reinforcing member substantially the size of the top of said box, sealed to one of Sil'ldBXliQIlSlOIl members, flaps extending laterally-from the other of said extension'membe'rs, adapted to be folded inward to form a pocketfor said reinforcing member; r l 8. A paper box'comprising sides, a top, a

bottom, foldable ends," members extending V therefrom, a reinforcing memberi substan tially the size of the top ofsai'd'b'ox sealed to one of thesaid extension members, a

pocket on one of said extension members adapted toreceive an opposite member, and foldable members integralwith the sides of the box'adapted to be folded across the'ends of the box-before the foldable ends thereof are' folded and sealed, to provide stiffeners for, the box against collapse.

l. A paper box comprising sides, a top, abottom', foldable ends, members extending therefrom, a reinforcing member substantially the sizeof the top' of said box sealed to one of said extension members, and a pocket on one of said extension members adapted to receive'an opposite member.-

In testimony wher'eofI have hereunto set 

